Ink supplying apparatus



Feb. 20, 1951 M, F, SAUNDERS 2,542,711

INK SUPPLYING APPARATUS Filed March 5l, 1948 15 ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

My invention is an improved apparatus for maintaining a supply of ink to be fed to a system of rollers that distribute the ink to the faces of the type in a printing press; and particularly an accessory which can readily be attached to the framework of a printing press and is in every way capable of operating in the desired manner.

An important object of the invention is to provide mechanism of this kind which is simple in construction, comparatively inexpensive to produce, easy to mount in position, with parts giving varied adjustment at separate points, and most efficient in regular operation.

Another object is to provide apparatus of this type comprising parts which make a container with an outlet opening adapted to deliver the .lnk in exact measure to a distributing roll that transfers the iiuid to additional rolls or other parts by which it is spread over the type. The container is of such design that the outlet opening can be adjusted to different degrees along its length; it is supported so that the operation can be most advantageously controlled; and the method of installing it permits thorough cleaning whenever cleaning is needed or the color of the ink is to be changed.

A further object is to provide apparatus for supplying ink to a printing press comprising members constituting a container or reservoir having an outlet for delivering the ink in the form of a fllm to the distributing roller, in such a way that the flow of ink can be regulated in the required degree at different points independently, over the full extent of the opening.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages are made clear in the following description, which discloses a preferred embodiment of the improvement. The arrangement herein set forth, however, is illustrative only and alterations in many details may be incorporated, without departing from the essential combination wherein the invention resides and without discarding the principle underlying the invention.

On the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of apparatus according to my invention.

Figure 2 isan end elevation partly in section on a plane just within the nearest end shown in Figure 1. Y

Figure 3 is a similar view with parts in a different position; and

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate details in section.

The apparatus comprises a roller I which has trunnions 2 at the ends and is mounted in end supporting members 3, that are parts of a frame work by which the apparatus is secured to the printing press with which it is to be used. The roller I and members 3 cooperate with another part of element having the form of a exible and resilient inclined plate 4 to make a trough or reservoir 5, the ends of which are closed by the members 3: the interior of this container or reservoir having somewhat the form of an inverted triangle with the element 4 forming one side and the bottom to hold a supply of ink S. The plate 4 is secured to the upper face of a normally inclined flat bar 'I of less width, and overlaps the bar along the lower or inner edge, while being flush therewith along the upper or outer edge; this bar being mounted upon journals 8 on the inner faces of the members 3 and engaging lugs 9 projecting from the lower face of the bar 1. The lower or inner edge of the plate 4 is separated from the roller I but is in close proximity thereo; the space between the roller and the plate forming an outlet opening I0 extending from one part 3 to the other end of restricted width. The roller I turns clockwise and carries a film of ink around with it, the ink being discharged through the outlet I0 on the face of the roller I. VThis roller I cooperates with other rollers not shown to which the ink is transferred and carried to the faces of the type which does the printing.

The plate 4 is flexible and resilient as above stated, and the width of the opening I0 is adjusted by means of a number of levers II; pivoted upon a bar shaft I2, the ends of which are axed to the members 3. These levers are arranged side by side between the end members 3 and engage the plate l0 on the under face near the lower edge; being actuated to bend the plate upward slightly when the width of the aperture I0 is to be lessened and moved in the opposite direction to release the plate when the opening is to be made greater. The bottom face of the plate 4 carries a strip of metal which is engaged by the ends of the levers and prevents wear on the plate itself.

The levers Il each have an arm I3 extending downward and carrying a spring press pawl or catch I4 which engages the teeth of a curved rack I5. The racks I5 are supported on a transverse bar I6 which rests upon and is secured to lugs I'I having flanges I8 on the lower edges of the members 3. The racks l5 are attached to the bar I6 by means of bolts I9 passing through openings of larger size 2c in the bar i6. By means of these larger openings the racks can be set in exact adjusted position.

The outer ends of the levers have the form of handles 2| which cooperate with scals 22 and the levers have openings 24 containing index pointers 25 at one end which mark the various positions of the levers with respect to the scales 22. The scales 22 are curved strips affixed at their bent upper ends 23 to a transverse bar 26 secured to the lower edges of the members 3 at the adjacent ends thereof.

The levers I are arranged side by side between the members 3 as shown in'Figure 1 and they permit separate adjustment of different portions of the plate 4 to vary the Width of the opening l0 at points adjacent the levers. It is often desirable in printing to have more ink supplied to part of the type or cast printing plate than to some other part, as when one part of a sheet to be printed may receive only a few printed lines and another part receives the impression of a gure or the like with dark portions of relatively larger area, and the presence of the required number of levers 2| permits the necessary adjustment to obtain this result. Without such adjustment, varied along the length of the opening, much ink would accumulate or pile up on some parts of the rollers and be wasted. Preferably the levers 2| are numbered and the levers having odd numbers may have longer handLs, the other levers with even numbers between those having the odd numbers having shorter handles. Such an arrangement enables the levers to be identified more easily by the press attendant, so that he can more quickly grasp the one by which he must adjust the opening as conditions demand. If desired, the numbers of the levers may be indicated on the upper face of the bar 26.

Preferably the wear strip 21 is not rigid with the plate 4, but is attached thereto by means of clips 28 on the plate 4 engaging one face of the strip. The lower edge of the plate 4 thus retains all of its inherent flexibility and elasticity. The scales y2 bear numbers indicating the different positions to which the levers must be moved to adjust the portions or sections of the length of the opening I for different kinds of work.

The apparatus also is adapted to permit ready cleaning of the plate 4, as when a change in the color of the ink is desired. For this purpose the ends of the bar 1 near the upper or outer corners are provided with studs 30 which are received in notches 3| of levers 29. These levers are disposed on the outer faces of the members 3 at the adjacent ends and are pivoted at their lower ends on studs 32 in the end members 3, near the bar 26. At the top these levers have handles 34. The sides of the recesses 3| are parallel to the upper and lower faces of the bar 1; and when 5 the plate 4 is to be cleaned the handles 34 are grasped and the levers 29 are pushed forward. The studs thus clear the notches 3| and then the plate 4 can be lifted to the position shown in Figure 3, the lower edge rubbing past the roller l when thus actuated. 'I'he bar 1 is swung around the pivots 8 far enough to carry the studs 3D into lower notches 33 on the edges of the levers 29 and thus the plate is held up until the cleaning is finished. The levers are again pushed forward and the plate 4 falls to the position shown in Figure 1, the bar 1 swinging to carry the studs 36 upward and again into the notches 3|. The levers 29 also have projections 35 and between these projections and the ends of the members 3 10 are compression springs 36.

The invention is thus well calculated to serve its intended purpose and controls the delivery of the ink iny such quantities through various portions of the length of the outlet opening I0 as may be needed for the particular character of the printing on the various parts of the sheet. The members or levers 2| make contact with their ends directly with the wear strip 21 and the adjustment of the various parts of the plates 4 along the lower edge is thus rendered easy and certain.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new is:

Apparatus of the kind set forth comprising a 25 roller, a flexible plate normally in sloping position with its lower edge in proximity to the roller, a bar carrying said plate, members for supporting the ends of the roller and plate and making therewith a reservoir, said bar being pivotally mounted in said members, levers having recesses pivoted at the ends of said members, said bar having studs entering said recesses when said plate is in sloping position, the levers having other recesses to receive said studs when the plate is moved away from said sloping position,

springs engaging the levers and seating against said members to maintain said levers in operative positions, other levers engaging the under face of the plate along said edge, a shaft under o said plate carried by said members for pivotally REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS j Number Name Date 828,661 Kathe Aug. 14, 1906 1,231,567 Clark July 3, 1917 1,613,255 Tyler Jan. 4, 1927 2,387,332 Kunz Oct. 23, 1945 

